A raccoon was captured on Thursday after a dog was bit by a raccoon just three blocks away. A lab test will also determine if the same racoon was responsible for both bites, according to Licitra, who said it could also have been infected with distemper, which is similar to rabies.

Raccoon suspected of biting an elderly woman and a dog in Belmar (MCSPCA)

"New York City saw a large amount of raccoons break with (canine) distemper," Licitra said.

As the virus attacks the nervous system, infected dogs develop circling behavior, head tilt, muscle twitches, convulsions with jaw chewing movements and salivation (“chewing gum fits”), seizures, and partial or complete paralysis. The virus may also cause the footpads to thicken and harden, leading to its nickname “hard pad disease.”